Eco Friendly Central

My product of the week was chosen based on pure necessity. I was going to sample a new eco-friendly reusable water bottle but then I ran out of kitchen cleaner. I’ve seen the Target commercials on t.v. promoting Green Works cleaning supplies and I have to say, I’m a sucker for Target ads. So it seemed like the perfect time to try it out.

First happy surprise, Green Works is a division of Clorox! I thought it was one of Target’s in-house brands (which don’t get me wrong, they are great. Anyone that’s had anything from their Archer Farms line will tell you that). I am definitely someone who is wary of trying new things and appreciates the endorsement of a recognized brand.

The second happy surprise was the smell. It was great! I was antipating a very sterile or very, well, organic (ok, I mean icky) smell. But Green Works’ scent is derived from essential lemon oil. I do worry about it being a little potent in a confined space but my kitchen is open enough that it doesn’t overpower.

The Good things that make me happy:

-Bottles are made from recycled materials and are biodegradable.

-They are not testing on animals.

-Made from plant-based products like coconuts and the essential lemon oils.

-Ingredient list is on the back if you want to do more research.

-Streak Free. I loved this! The front of my stove is black and always looks streaky but this cleaner actually took that away.

-It is endorsed by the Sierra Club, which is the oldest and largest environmental organization in the country. This is the first household cleaning line they have endorsed!

What I’m not thrilled about:

-They do not disinfect. Since my primary use for this type of cleaner is for my kitchen and my bathroom, the two most germ and bacteria infested areas, I am not too pleased to learn that all this is doing making the surface look clean.

-Just because it says natural, doesn’t mean it is. It’s closer than most products come and it’s a step in the right direction.

-I’ve read that the scent can really…take over your house. Like if you have ever used Draino on a clogged sink and can smell it everywhere. Luckily this one isn’t chemically based but I think if used in a smaller bathroom area, it will give you a doozy of a headache.

Verdict:

Eh. Once again, don’t hate it but I’m amending my first impression. I don’t love it. If they find a way to disinfect, I’ll buy it again, otherwise, it’s not squeaky clean and green enough for me. I am going to try Seventh Generation products next because they contain hyrdogen peroxide, which is known to help reduce bacteria and is gentle on the environment.

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1. Clean up your Driving Record: Last week we learned about eating green and this week its driving green. The tips of the week are designed to help you on the road to green. Pick 3 or 4 things that you you can change about your driving habits this week. Keep adding one or two every week till your driving record is squeaky green!

2. Know your Carbon Score: Five years ago the craze was to learn your credit score and check out the latest free credit reports. Now its knowing your carbon output score. The national average is 325. Where do you rank? Take the Earth Conservation Plan Test at Earthlab.com and see how you are impacting the earth! The test takes less that 3 minutes and it’s filled with great tips to help lower your score. The test is scored between 150-900 and the lower your score, the better. It also shows where your output stands against the average of your city, state and the nation. At the end you are able to scroll through listings of “pledges” to reduce your score.  My ECP was 289 and carbon output was 9 tons and I pledged to try 10 new things the next weeks to lower it to 230!

3. Research the issues : There is less than two weeks until a pivotal election day. Have you done your research on the issues? With the state of the economy and the environment, it is so important to know your personal beliefs and issues, and which candidate represents them the best for you. From the presidential race to your local mayor, research, research, research. And make sure everything is in place for you to VOTE! TheDailyGreen.com has a great starting off point with the Obama and McCain’s stances on issues like global warming, off-shore drilling and nuclear energy.

4. Love your Air Dryers. It does my dishes, laundry and my hair. What is this wonderful gadget that I can’t live without? My Air Dryer. And the best part? It’s completely free, you have it in your house right the very minute and you have probably been using it all this time and didn’t even realize it’s great impact on the environment! I’ve been using this trick for years, but not part of a conscious green effort. I just have a lot of clothes that are “line dry” only. So instead of running my clothes dryer every time I’m doing laundry, I actually do a lot of hang or line dry outside and on my drying rack in my house. The best part is that it actually helps preserve your clothes longer! And it works great for doing the dishes, too. I don’t fill my dishwasher up every night so pots and pans that I need daily I hand wash (in minimal water) and dry in the dish rack. And my hair? Have you ever seen what a hair dryer does to curly hair? Big puffball. So I air dry all the time. If you really can’t live without your hair dryer daily, at least try to reduce your usage of it by one day a week to start! Line dry, rack dry, or drip dry: Just Try Air Dry.

5. Be Squeaky Green. Pick a cleaning product, any cleaning product from bathroom to kitchen or even personal care. This week instead of buying your regular brand–or the cheapest one–spend the extra dollar and buy a green one! I ran out of Lysol Kitchen Cleaner this week and selected Green Works by Clorox as my alternative. It was only $.60 more than the brand I was going to buy. It smells good, keeps me and my family safe from germs and helps the environment!

Bonus: Add another Veggie. How did you do with reducing your meat intake last week? This week it’s time to step it up. Replace another meal or snack with an organic alternative. Remember we are trying to reduce our intake by 20% over the next few weeks gradually. It’s like starting any new food diet, too much at one time and you will reject it!

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It’s hard to resist all those little hybrid cars hitting the markets.  But, I adore my Civic and I’m not ready to part with her. And I also can’t afford it right now. But I wanted to do something to help make my driving record more eco-friendly. Here are my favorite quick and easy top tips that everyone can do to help their cars run green.

1. Pahk the Cah (or park the car to those who don’t speak Boston): Having your car idle can do more damage then turning your car off and restarting. Actually, idling for only 10 seconds generates more carbon dioxide than restarting. So next time you are heading to Taco Bell or McD’s, avoid the drive-thru. Park it and walk in instead.

2. Pump it Up: Be diligent about checking your tire pressure. Or neurotic like I am. I always think my tires are flat, but because I check them every time I stop for gas, I’m ensure that they are at the proper levels all the time. Locate your manuals and find out what your optimum tire pressure should be and check it often. Especially in warmer climates, tires can lose pounds quickly. Not only does this reduce your fuel optimization, but it’s also unsafe!

3. Curb the Road Rage: Check your temper at the door. I know its hard to not get pissed off at that little old lady who just cut you off in the fast lane and is going 20 miles under the posted speed limit, but chill. Abrupt stops and power acceleration are bad for the environment, your car and your blood pressure.

4. Plan ahead: Busy day of running errands? Try to combine your trips. Make lists of what you need and what stores you need to go to and try to eliminate multiple stops. One-stop shopping places like Super Target and Super Wal-mart save you money, time and driving! Plan your route and timing so you avoid peak rush hours and traffic congested areas.

5. Pace yourself. No more playing Speed Racer. Slow down. You will still get there, I promise. Leave a few minutes earlier so you can pace yourself. Speeding turns your car into a gas-guzzler real quick (pun intended!).

6. Obey the Yellow Lights: They mean a red one is coming. The yellow-orange Maintenance Required light in your car should not be ignored. Know your maintence schedule and keep regular appointments to change your oil, air filters, spark plugs and other fluids. Your car will thank you for it–it’s like a spa day for them–and the environment will benefit too. When your car is serviced and happy, it’s running at it’s fuel consumption will be moer balanced.

7. Got Junk in your Trunk? Get rid of it. The added pounds in the back are weighing you down! And they are decreasing your fuel efficiency. So clean out your car and help clean up the air.

8. Chill Out: With the windows down. Pretend you have to pay a bill based on your car’s energy consumption (and I’m not talking just the cost to fill ‘er up with gas). Open the windows and set adjust your car’s thermostat so it’s not running at max power—just like you do to save some dollars in your house.

9. Charge it! At home. Have you seen these outlet strips for your cars? Think it’s a bit much when you can plug in your iPhone, your iPod, massaging chair cushion, espresso machine, mini-fridge, hairdryer, dvd player, navigation system and your margarita maker into your car? (Think I’m kidding? See Electrical Gadgets for your Car if you don’t believe me). Even the Energizer bunny couldn’t keep going and going with that kind of draining engery. Help save your battery: Charge your crazy gadgets at home and think about if you really need to use that hairdryer–not to mention the margariate machine– while driving.

10. Think of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Ok, it sounds insane but I couldn’t get the song out of my head. Think of it like this:

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood: So take a walk or ride your bike to the store whenever you can.

Won’t you be my neighbor? Get to know your neighbors– and co-workers–by setting up a carpool for work or to run errands. And hey, if you go grocery shopping together you could end up having a dinner party later and make some great new friends!

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With all the different types of eco-friendly water bottles popping up on shelves today it’s hard to pick which one is right for you and the economy. My friend recommended Klean Kanteen and because I’m a sucker for fun names, I tried them first.

Way too many choices for an indecisive person like myself! I was prepared to pick my own color–thought I may actually pick something other than pink for once. I was not prepared to pick color, size, and which kind of cap I would want. Um, one I can drink out of? I don’t like having to research caps before I can buy a water bottle.

What I did like:

It’s easy to clean. So many of my to-go containers, especially the stainless steel travel coffee ones, are not dishwasher safe but you can pop this one in. It’s also ice cube friendly. The opening is wide enough that I don’t have to break the cubes before stuffing them in. I’m also fairly clutzy and prone to dropping things and so far it seems pretty durable! I loved that it doesn’t leak. The lid (I went with the plastic top) formed a tight seal and didn’t dribble on me all day.

My fear of having a stainless steel water container was having a metallic tasting water. There is a certain bottled water brand out there (that shall remain anonymous), whose dark blue bottles seem to infiltrate the water making it taste like plastic. I was afraid the metal would do the same here but I was pleasantly surprised.

The Good:

Recyclable when you are done with it. Sanitary. Toxin-free. Non-leaching (which is actually a really scary concept I knew nothing about until I was told about these water bottles. Some of your drinking containers actually release their chemicals into your fluids that you are drinking. Ew.)

The Bad:

The aftertaste: At first there I didn’t taste metal but after a day up at the pool in the hot sun I did. It was faint but it worries me for next time.

The cost: Are you serious? For a water bottle? Does it automatically refill itself when it’s empty like Harry Potter or something? Because I think it’s a bit extreme. I’m used to spending at most $5 at CVS for my water bottle that comes with a detachable freezer stick! I’m a little wary of a bottle that costs between $15-25 and you have to buy a separate cap if you don’t want plastic. But despite my economical issues, I might as well help the environmental ones.

Overall Decision:

Eh. Don’t love it. Don’t hate it. I’ll have to try a few more before I commit to one

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When I was told we were going to Sublime for dinner, I was ecstatic! Began looking forward to a big steak and potatoes or a heaping bowl of densely cheesy pasta–you know, my idea of sublime!

Turns out, Sublime actually meant natural and organic food and spirits. Gone were the visions of steak dancing in my head. But I figured hey, always wanted to try some wheatgrass….mmmm. Ok, so I really thought, at least I have my own car and there is a McDonalds and Taco Bell a block away.

And go figure, it was one of the best dinning experiences I have ever had. True, we did happen to be at an award-winning organic restaurant (multiple awards actually)–and USA Today named them in the Top 10 in the nation for Cuisine with a Clear Conscience. But I gotta tell ya, Natural Organic Vegan, isn’t so scary, afterall.

I’ll be the first to admit that when my niece told me I had to get “the loaf” I almost ran screaming all the way back to their house. I mean, I barely like real meatloaf unless my mom makes it; I definitely don’t want imitation meatloaf. But she insisted and I’m never one to shy away from trying new things–I like to think of myself as a female Anthony Bourdain on a really tight budget. And while I won’t be giving up meatloaf in the near future, I also will not be turning my back on the vegan way any time soon.

Here are some of the amazing natural & organic vegan creations we sampled:

Appetizer: Fried Cauliflower with Sweet Chili Sauce (a fascinating thing about natural and organic frying: it’s cholesterol free. Hey, if you can fry me something and make it healthy, I’m all about it!)

Entrees:    Stuffed Portabella Mushroom with a Marsala Demi-Glaze, and Quinoa (kinda like a nutty grain) Pilaf

“The Loaf,” which was actually a blend of lentils, brown rice, and water chestnuts with an amazing accompanying sauce. And to die for Wasabi Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes.

Piccata: It was so authentic, I swore it was veal, or at least chicken. When it was actually gardein, a wheat and soy protein, that was sauteed till golden brown and topped with traditional lemon, caper sauce.

Still scared? You can start smaller with an organic and natural dessert. They had Chocolate Nirvana and Key Lime Cheesecake that were better than “real” versions I’ve had.

If you haven’t tried it, treat yourself. I’m not saying you need to go get a cup of wheatgrass or surprise your family with a ToFurky Thanksgiving right away. Baby steps. Research the menu before you go and find a place that sounds like something you would normally eat. Then you, too, can pretend you are Anthony Bourdain on a real culinary adventure!

And once you try it, follow up with great recipes that you can try at home. Check out How to Make Green Eggs and Ham: Recipes for Eco-Friendly Eating for tips!

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After my first trip to an organic-natural restaurant I was so inspired to come home and make my own organic and vegan inspired dishes! I hopped online and began looking and was extremely disappointed by what I found. Mostly the traditional scary sounding appetizers and meals. Sure they made my mouth water but um, not in the good way.

It took a lot of searching but then I came across vegweb.com and I HIGHLY recommend it. Not only was it filled with delicious sounding recipes (and to my surprise, they were delicious tasting as well), but it was also and extremely user friendly site.  The recipe index was broken down into many categories from appetizers, breakfast and beverages to kid-friendly, regional and events/holidays. There is even a raw-food category. Seriously, check it out. Great indexing, rating/reviews, and thousands of ideas to keep you eco-friendly for years to come!

I have also included a few other recipes I found in my search that were well worth the time it took to find them!

Breakfast:

Blueberry Muffins: I adore blueberry muffins and really did not want to give them up. And I’ve been known to make the best around, courtesy of a certain red box in my closet and a batch of bananas. This recipe was easy, easy to substitute ingredients and really, really good. I also added a mashed up banana for added taste and moisture. Yum!

Appetizer:

The Best-Ever, No Egg Breakfast Scramble. No, really, it’s outstanding. I couldn’t believe it. I’m queen of the fried egg or breakfast burritos in the morning but after this, I may never use an egg again. I was terrified of thought of replacing my beloved (and organic!) egg with tofu. But, wow, this was a good choice. I even wrapped mine up burrito style after and truly never missed the egg, or the cheese.

Bruschetta: Quite possibly the easiest app to make eco-friendly. It’s almost all based on produce so buy local! Traditional form involves onion, tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs. I’ve also been known to add olives. The site includes many different recipes for bruschetta. Since I was at my local farmer’s market buying the organic produce, I opted to by my bread there–homemade by the local Amish community instead of hunting down the vegan bread across town.

Olive Tapenade: On the same route as the bruschetta but it beat my favorite store-bought kind I’ve been using for years!

Fried Potato Balls: This made me really happy since one of my favorite new finds is the fried Cuban potato ball, which is stuffed with ground beef. This was a great alternative! I did not use the recommended asafoetida because, well, I didn’t know what on earth it was and that scared me a bit!

Hummus: You cannot go wrong with hummus, especially if you make it yourself. You can go traditional or add other spices to give it a whole new zing. This site had a great easy recipe for it and a few others that I have not tried yet.

Lunch:

Southwestern Wrap: Always looked so good on menus and I’ve wanted to try it for a while now. Quick, filling and delicious! Almost made another for dinner.

Portabello Mushroom Sandwich: One Word: Yum! I was terrified of these big ole’ mushrooms for a long time but recently they have grown on me like a, well, like a fungus. This was fantastic!

Dinner:

Penne with Red Pepper Sauce: Pay no attention to the fact that its called Penne and they recommend using bow-tie pasta.  It was so easy and with the exception of the almonds, I had every ingredient already in my house. I even attempted to make my own parmesan cheese. And was impressed with the result!

“The Loaf” After trying an amazing meat-less loaf at the 5-star restauarnt, I was determined to make my own. I had a few…attempts, for lack of a better word…before I found this one. And it worked! I substitued water chestnuts for the walnuts because my guest (taste testing victim) was allergic and they worked great. I decided to go all out and make some vegan gravy, too. Not sure I’ll put it on my turkey this year but it was really good.

Dessert:

Vegan Brownies: I am the brownie queen. I’m not being conceited: I make the best brownies. They are alway fudgey and gooey and rich and delicious….I was not happy to mess with perfection. But I have to say, this recipe worked really, really, really well. Not as simple as my brownies-from-a-box but we were all impressed in the end.

Pumpkin “Cheese” Cake: There is only one problem with this dessert: you have to take only my word for it because I was not able to share it with my friends. I ate the whole thing. In about 2 days. It was that good. I couldn’t stand knowing it was still in my house. It taunted me. A definite winner. Can’t give up your turkey this year? Start smaller with this for dessert. No one will even notice the change.

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In my pledge to be eco-friendly, I wanted to find a way to eat healthier AND help the environment. But I know me, and giving up chicken or meat for good just would not happen. And give up cheese? Not a chance. Can not live without it. I’m serious. But during my research I found a fascinating fact on CosmoGirl.com (of all places). They reported that there was study done at the University of Chicago that shows if we all reduce our intake of meat and meat products by only 20%, it would actually have the same effect as if everyone switched from a regular car (like my Honda Civic) to a hybrid vehicle (you know, like that cute little Toyota Prius). Go back, read that line again. That is a staggering fact. If I cut back 20%, or roughly 1.5 days a week, it could have the same effect as if I bought an eco-friendly car. Wow.

The Facts:

-30% of the earth’s land is tied up in livestock production.

-1/5 of the world’s greenhouse gases comes from this production.

-Pesticides on crops upsets the ecosystems and destroys much of the soil and organisms living there.

-Chemicals and their byproducts linger in the livestock and their waste which then pollutes the soil.

What we can do:

1. Buy Organic.

Produce: Grown without pesticides and are without artificial additives. What that means for you: Enhanced taste. Remember that wonderfully sweet corn and that really juicy watermelon from your childhood? Well, you can have them back now!

Meat: Know that the animals were treated correctly and humanely; they were fed organically as well and not given steroid drugs and chemicals or hormones. Why does that help you: Well, if a cow was given steroids and hormones, and they can linger on after they die to pollute the soil, don’t you think you just ingested some of them when you had your steak last night? I’m not saying those hormones will affect you; there is a lot of mixed research on that. But it is something to think about.

2. Reduce

One and half days is not a long time to go without meat or meat products. Try something new. I know it’s scary to think about dinner without meat, fish, or cheese. So maybe start reducing by cutting meat and cheese every day at lunch. Instead of a ham and turkey sandwich or wrap, bring a salad with produce from your local grower. This does not mean you get to eat more at dinner!

There are so many natural and organic restaurants to try, many that are innovative and delicious. Try them! Organic Vegan is Not-So-Scary Afterall

Plus, there are tons of recipe ideas and cookbooks now to give you ideas on how to reduce your meat intake without feeling the loss. Check out How to Cook Green Eggs and Ham: Recipes for Eco-Friendly Eating.

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Ok, admit it. When you are first starting out on your journey to be eco-friendly and you start hearing “organic” and “natural,” you start imaging yourself with a long flowing skirt made of hemp, dreadlocks blowing in the wind while you inhale your nag champa incense and crunch on some granola.  And maybe that was the norm 30 or 40 years ago, but the stereotype has long been broken. In fact, check out all the celebs today that are vegetarians and vegans (note: not all celebs are part of the organic or natural list).

Organic vs. Natural

For the last two years, I really believed these two words were interchangeable.

Organic: Means that crops and animals are grown and fed food without chemical additives.

Natural: Refers to the processing of the food, not the actual growing of the food. If the food is processed without artificial/chemical colors and flavors it is natural.

So, based on that, organic food can be unnatural and natural food un-organic. Yeah, it made my head hurt, too. But actually, this website explained more and helped me to realize that I’m not alone in my thinking:  Organic vs. Natural

The “All-natural” Myth

Not to be confused with “natural,” the term “All-Natural” became popular in the 90s as part of the growing consciousness of consumers to live a healthier lifestyle and eat “natural.” But “all-natural” on a box does not mean that the food is organic or in fact, an all natural product. Go figure right?  It actually means, well, nothing. And it’s amazing how many of us have been fooled for the last 10 years into believing that the All-Natural potato chips we are buying are so much better than the regular potato chips next to them on the shelf. Yeah, they aren’t. I HIGHLY recommend reading these two articles by Mike Adams, who has become known as “The Health Ranger.” They are eye-opening and made me run down to my pantry to see how gullible I’ve been.

Don’t Be Fooled by “all natural” claims on food and grocery products

“All Natural” claim on food labels is often deceptive

How does this effect my decision to be eco-friendly? Read on…Eco-Friendly Eating?

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On the path to becoming green, I detoured when I got hungry and discovered: eco-friendly eating. But before we can really dig into this, I thought we better pause to define some key terms first.

See, 10 years ago, when my then 10-year-old niece suddenly stopped appreciating the joy of eating red meat and began to turn away from chicken, we called her a “vegetarian.” Now, because she has milk in her cereal in the morning and an occasional fried egg sandwhich after a long night out, she declares herself an “Ovo-lacto Vegetarian.”

A what? I know vegetarian, I know vegan and I have even dappled in the organic now and again. Never came across an ovo-lacto before and now I have one in my own family! I had her break it down for me:

Vegetarian: Usually used as a generic overhead for someone who does not eat: Meat, Poultry, and Fish (including shellfish).

Ok, yeah got that. But now there are many degrees of vegetarianism ranging from beginner to extreme (her words, not mine).

Semi-Vegetarian: Still Eats: Chicken, fish, dairy and eggs.

Ovo-Vegetarian: Still eats: Eggs, but not dairy.

Lacto-Vegetarian: Still eats: Dairy (lacto), but not eggs.

Oco-lacto-Vegetarian: Still Eats: Eggs and milk products. (Ah! Got it!)

Vegan: Does not eat: ANY animal products or by products including milk, eggs, honey, yeast.

Another important term to define here is Organic. Because not only is she an Ovo-lacto Vegetarian, she is an Organic one, as well. When she does have eggs, they are certified organic.

Organic: Means that crops and animals are grown and fed food without chemical additives. There are no drugs and they are not genetically altered (i.e. cloning). And the animals are treated humanely. In the case of eggs, the poultry is in a cage-free environment and able to roam outside.

This is only scratching the surface of what we need to know to do our part in eco-friendly eating. Next up is All-Natural Myths and other Organic Truths.

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A finale of firsts in so many ways.

For the first time in five seasons, three female contestants dominated the finale and were able to show their collections at New York’s Fashion Week in Bryant Park. Tim Gunn was the guest judge in the runway show for the first time.

And also for the first time, the winner promoted the use of sustainable fabrics in her collection.

Leanne Marshall, known for her more architectural styled clothing throughout the season, wowed the judges and and the audience with her exquisite and innovative collection during the runway show. And after, when asked why she should be the winner of the show, she explained how she is always thinking ahead and that half of her collection was made using sustainable fabrics.

Sustainable fabrics are made from organic or natural, earth-friendly materials and methods. The processing is easier on the environment or recycles other materials–even plastic bottles! Sounds fashionable, don’t you think? Actually, it calls to mind images of stiff fabrics like wool, hemp, linen, and bamboo. (Yes, bamboo. Like the tree. Haven’t you heard? It’s the hottest fabric now.) Even the judges commented that Leanne’s collection could have looked “granola-ey.”

Yet Marshall delivered an eco-friendly collection that was filled with such fluidity, grace and movement that it was, well, breathtaking. Does this look like recycled plastic or hemp?

Added bonus: The winner gets a Saturn Hybrid! Being eco-friendly here too!

Check out Project Runway at BravoTV.com for more details on the collections of season 5.

And check out Green Choices for more information on sustainable fabrics.

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